Family members are speaking out following the tragic shooting in Pembroke Park that left a mother and her three young sons dead and a fourth child and the alleged shooter hospitalized.
The shooting happened Wednesday night at an apartment complex in the 3100 block of W. Hallandale Beach Boulevard.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and officers from Pembroke Park Police and Hallandale Beach Police responded and found six people shot.
Julie Cruz, 32, and her sons, 11-year-old Xion Solomon, 2-year-old Nova McKenzie and 2-year-old Emery McKenzie were pronounced dead inside the apartment.
Family Photo
Family Photo Julie Cruz
Cruz’s daughter, 8-year-old Phiinyx Solomon, was also suffering from gunshot wounds and was rushed to a local hospital.
The apparent shooter, 34-year-old Stephen McKenzie, was also found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.
Stephen McKenzie is in custody at the hospital and charges are pending. The motive for the shooting was unknown.
Cruz and McKenzie shared two sons, Nova and Emery McKenzie. Cruz’s son Xion Solomon and daughter Phiinyx Solomon have a different father.
Family Photo
Family Photo Phiinyx Solomon and Xion Solomon
Outside the hospital Friday, Rita Hanson, the grandmother of Xion and Phiinyx Solomon spoke briefly with reporters about the girl’s condition.
“She’s fighting and she’s gonna pull through, God is good, that’s all we can say, God has her,” the grandmother said. “She needs us right now and I just want everybody to just pray for her and she’ll be okay, because God has her.”
Hanson said the family is in shock over the tragedy.
“I’m just so upset. I’ve talked about it already, it’s heartbreaking for us,” she said.
Neighbors describe the chaos of a family killing spree in Pembroke Park as the stepmother of the suspect speaks out. NBC6’s Amanda Plasencia and Niko Clemmons report
On Thursday night, NBC6 spoke with McKenzie’s stepmother, Deon McKenzie about the murders. She said she and McKenzie’s father are divorced.
“Very shocked about the situation,” McKenzie said.
Deon McKenzie said she’s out of town but is making her way back to South Florida to be with her children. She said she last saw her stepson a little more than a year ago.
“He was always so respectful, I wouldn’t dream of seeing him doing something like this, especially to the kids because he was so playful with kids, so loving to kids, that part really gets to me, he’s got to be going through something,” Deon McKenzie said. “I don’t think he reacted out of his right mind because he’s really really a lover of kids.”
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